Presidential science advisor John Holdren described a host of initiatives and programs that support the Obama Administration's science and technology policy in the latest in the Wigner Distinguished Lecture Series at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Thursday, March 13.

Holdren said funding for science has fared better than other sectors in a restrained budget environment because the president "understands how science and technology matter" and has restored S&T to its "rightful place" in government priorities.

He described the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), which he leads, as having a dual role: "policy for science and technology and science and technology for policy." He also described the work of PCAST — the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology — which he co-chairs.

Holdren noted a Manhattan Project era researcher at ORNL — Harrison Brown — as a personal mentor and knew the late former lab director Alvin Weinberg through their science policy work. Thursday's visit was his first to ORNL.

His presentation and a wealth of other info on the OSTP and PCAST are available on the OSTP website.

Hosted by ORNL's Corporate Fellows, the Wigner Distinguished Lecture Series promotes dialogue among Oak Ridge researchers and renowned leaders in science, industry, and government. Dr. Craig Barrett, former chairman of the board for Intel Corporation, will continue the series on Tuesday, April 8.